


The Best we Can Hope for (is Revenge)

by Ischa



Series: Intimate Obsessions [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Biting, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Medical Kink, Multi, Polyamory, Sexual Content, Threesome - M/M/M, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 20:18:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6023338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ischa/pseuds/Ischa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a sequel to 'Paint it red', in which Tim is a vampire in a relationship with Dick and Jason. It's also a story of revenge, family and many sexual kinky (more or less) encounters. </p><p>  <i>Would he be a monster in Bruce’s eyes? Or would he still see Dick?</i><br/><i>Jason put the mug on the table and slapped him over the head gently. “Stop thinking so hard. He’s an asshole sometimes, but he hasn’t hunted me down and I tried to kill him. Killed a lot of people in the process too and don’t shy away from doing it again. You are a vampire and you haven’t killed anyone-”</i><br/><i>“Not true, I killed that rapist you sent down there, the night of my turning.”</i><br/><i>Jason shrugged. “Scumbag had it coming. You weren’t in your right mind then.”</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best we Can Hope for (is Revenge)

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter three for **BestRobinEvr**.  
>  Chapter four for **mkblitz**.  
>  I apologize to the medically trained readers...I sacrificed reality for porny hotness. And stand by it.  
> Beta by Icalynn. <3  
> Title from Emilie Autumn's 'Fight like a girl'.

~One~

Dick slammed Jason against the door and pinned him to the wooden surface as soon as they entered the apartment. It was stupid, really, how much he wanted to fuck Jason and how much he wanted to taste him, lick him, suck him and his blood. 

Jason wasn’t complaining, he was still high on the night’s patrol and ass-kicking. He just closed his eyes and let Dick do his thing, which was ripping open Jason’s pants and pulling his cock out so he could finally put it into his mouth. 

He had been more aware of Jason on patrol these last few nights. He had been more aware of everything the last few nights. It wasn’t fading, wasn’t becoming normal like Tim said it would. Maybe Dick was being too impatient, maybe he wasn’t looking forward to it becoming normal. 

Tim climbed into the window, grabbed a glass of juice and then just leaned against the counter and watched. Dick could feel Tim too. His gaze and his presence. Different than Jason, different than other humans that weren’t Jason. Tim was his own kind now. He was Tim’s.  
There was some kind of hierarchy to this vampire thing, Dick could feel it in his blood, but Tim never spoke about it. 

Jason’s fingers tangled in Dick’s hair and Dick took him deeper, pulled him in, made Jason moan loudly.  
Dick could hear Tim putting the glass down and then he was there, kissing Jason, swallowing his moans as Dick made him come violently.  
He held Jason up, until Jason sighed and his fingers loosened in Dick’s hair. 

“You weren’t that greedy before,” Jason said and Dick looked up at him. His skin was flushed and he smelled really good. Dick had the feeling he could feel the blood under Jason’s skin. Not only in his veins and arteries, but everywhere else too. 

Dick licked his lips. “I am now.” He stood up, in one fluid motion. His body was faster, stronger, more in every sense. But as with Tim’s abilities it was only from sundown to sunrise. He could feel himself getting weaker two hours before sunrise. His senses dulled, his bloodlust too. 

Jason grabbed his wrist. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing, Bigbird,” he said and kissed Dick. 

“I know,” Dick replied. He wasn’t sure if it was a bad thing or not. He was different during the night hours. He didn’t feel like himself at all. Wondered if that was how Doctor Jekyll felt when he slipped into Mister Hyde. And the other way around. 

Tim kissed Dick too as soon as Jason let go, licked into his mouth, erasing the last traces of Jason’s taste. “Breakfast,” he said, let go and went to prepare breakfast for Jason and coffee for the both of them. He already had juice, which meant that Tim wouldn’t actually drink the coffee, but he would cup his hands around the mug and it would look normal. Feel normal too. Tim was big on the whole normal thing when his powers faded.  
Dick wasn’t sure it was a healthy approach to the whole thing. 

~+~

“So, how long will it take until I don’t want to fuck Jay every second of every day?” Dick asked two weeks later. It wasn’t a problem, not really. Jason seemed okay with indulging the two vampires in his life. He let Tim feed off him and he let Dick suck him off and kiss him and fuck him and then he would fall asleep and not wake for hours.  
Which worried Dick to be honest. It was hard to restrain himself when Jason didn’t tell him no.  
Right now Jason was sleeping again, while Dick was pretending to watch a movie with Tim. 

“It’s different for everyone,” Tim said. “The turning. The effects, the things you will be able to do.” 

Dick nodded. “Okay…so what you’re saying is you don’t know.”

“I don’t,” Tim admitted. “I was fine after two weeks. Didn’t have the need to fuck anyone senseless every second of every hour, but-” he stopped, bit his lip, looked at Dick. And it was such a mindfuck, how young he looked, how human, how helpless. How much Dick just wanted to wrap him in his arms and protect him from the world. 

“But what?” Dick asked and grabbed for Tim, “Come here, you’re too far away.” He wrapped his arms around Tim’s small body and felt better, settled, content. 

“It’s different with Jay,” Tim replied. “Was always different with Jason. From the moment I knew he was in my city and then when I smelled his blood. I don’t make it a habit, you know, to take in injured vigilantes and feed them my blood.” 

“Could have fooled me,” Dick said lightly. 

“You were dying-”

“So was Jay,” Dick cut in, because by now he’s heard the story from Jason. Jason had been severely injured. A hospital could have probably fixed him if he had gotten there fast enough, but – well, Tim’s blood did the trick just fine. 

“He could have made it without my blood,” Tim said. “I just – didn’t want him to. I wanted him there. I knew it was a bad idea and I still did it.” 

“I’m glad you did it,” Dick said, earnestly. “I wouldn’t be alive without you.”

“I don’t know if we are alive, Dick,” Tim said. 

“You never told us how you became a vampire,” Dick prompted. He had tried to breach the subject before, but Tim had always distracted him – he was very good at avoiding things if he wanted to avoid them. 

“Like you,” Tim said. 

“Tim-”

“I know you want answers, but I don’t have any,” Tim cut him off. 

“You must know something,” Dick said. “Even if the one who made you didn’t tell you a goddamned thing, Tim. You would have tried to find out on your own.” 

Tim sighed. “I did. Try.” 

“And?” Dick asked, stroking Tim’s arm. 

“It’s hard for a vampire to find out things without his…let’s say a Sire or a coven.”

“Coven,” Dick echoed. 

“Yeah,” Tim said, wry amusement in his voice. “Like in the Dark Ages.” 

“Did you kill your Sire?” 

“No,” Tim said. “But I wanted to. I just wasn’t strong enough.” 

“Is that why you took up the cowl?” 

“No, I think that was all on you,” Tim answered, turning so he could look at Dick, straddle Dick, kiss Dick. 

“Me?”

“And Jason. I had the worst crush on Robin when I was a kid,” Tim said. 

“When you were a kid?” Dick teased. 

“Well… neither of you are Robin anymore, are you?” Tim replied. 

“You aren’t a kid- thank god,” Dick said, as Tim let his fangs graze his neck. He didn’t break the skin, but something about the possibility he could, or would one day, made Dick instantly hard. 

“No, I’m not,” Tim said, driving the point home by sneaking his hand into Dick’s sweat pants and curling his fingers around Dick’s hard cock, oh, so perfectly. 

“Tim-”

“Hmm,” Tim said which could mean anything Dick thought, but then Tim started stroking his cock and thinking was a thing of the past. 

~+~

They were hunting ruthlessly, he and Tim and Jason. Dick never thought that it could feel so good. To just let his instincts run and punish the wicked – just a little bit. Maybe Bruce felt like that when he beat the Clown after he killed Jason. Not that Dick was leaving broken criminals left and right, but he took their blood, left them weak, left them scared of something else than just another vigilante. 

Tim had shown him how his blood could heal now too. They always healed the wounds of their victims. Everything else would be sloppy. Sometimes Dick used his blood to help victims when he knew that the ambulance wouldn’t make it in time. Just a bit of blood could work wonders.  
And when the sun came up he was Dick again. Except that he didn’t eat and that he fucked way more than he used to. 

They still hadn’t caught all of the people who had tortured and killed him. They were hiding – Dick didn’t blame them, if he were them he would hide too. On another continent. Not that it would help them. Tim was crafty and hell bent on finding them.  
Dick hadn’t spoken to Bruce in person either since the turning. 

“Putting it off,” Dick said as Jason asked about it. 

“Obviously,” Jason replied, between bites of his lasagna.

“You didn’t just knock on his door and say ‘hi’ when you came back from the dead,” Dick said. 

“I was crazy and hell bent on revenge. I had a plan to kill him. What’s your excuse?”

Dick glared at him. “I’m not the person he raised-”

“Oh, bullshit,” Jason said, emphasis on shit, Dick thought amused. “You are the person he raised. You are still Dick. Other people in your situation? Me? I would hunt them all down and kill them. You haven’t killed a single one of those scumbags who were involved in your capture.”

That was true enough, but Dick wasn’t sure if he could maintain that restrain once he found those who tortured him and left him for dead. “It’s different with Bruce.”

“Of course it’s different with Bruce. He raised us, he was pretty much the only one we trusted besides Alfred. He formed us and we don’t want to disappoint him.” 

“Yeah,” Dick said. 

“You surviving what they did to you? Hardly counts as disappointment in my book and if he thinks differently, fuck him.” He finished his lasagna, got up, and then poured them both coffee. 

It was that easy for Jason, but Dick didn’t know if he could just break all ties with Bruce, if Bruce – he didn’t want to think about it.  
Would he be a monster in Bruce’s eyes? Or would he still see Dick?  
Jason put the mug on the table and slapped him over the head gently. “Stop thinking so hard. He’s an asshole sometimes, but he hasn’t hunted me down and I tried to kill him. Killed a lot of people in the process too and don’t shy away from doing it again. You are a vampire and you haven’t killed anyone-”

“Not true, I killed that rapist you sent down there, the night of my turning.” 

Jason shrugged. “Scumbag had it coming. You weren’t in your right mind then.”

It was true, Dick couldn’t really remember the turning, just pain and heat and then the blissful red of pulsing blood on his tongue that had soothed his hunger and nerves, his whole body. He hadn’t cared where the blood came from. It hadn’t even registered as blood in the moment when he drank it. And then he had slept curled around Tim until they had heard Jason’s car outside.  
Down there in the dark it was a bit like a second birth. 

“Still,” Dick said. 

“You feel bad for that, Dick that proves you’re still you. None of this ‘do I still have a soul’ emo nonsense now,” Jason replied. “You know you have a soul.”

“I guess I’m just freaking out,” Dick said. 

“Yeah, because it’s Bruce and we’re fucked up when it comes to how we feel about him.” 

Dick had always wondered if there had been more between Jay and Bruce when Jason had been Robin, or if Jason had wanted it. He hadn’t had the nerve to ask back then and he didn’t think it mattered now. Jason was theirs now. He and Tim would keep him until the end of time. 

“Truer words,” Dick said. 

Jason smiled. 

Dick liked Jason’s smile. He let it all go and drank his coffee. 

~Two~

Dick couldn’t get over how good Jason smelled and tasted and how much Dick needed him now that he was a vampire. 

“It’s not only his bloodtype,” Tim said, sipping some red juice. Watching him do it, made Dick’s teeth itch. 

Jay was B- and that was pretty rare. Drinking from Jay was like eating chocolate. Dick didn’t indulge often, neither did Tim. One human being was hardly enough for one vampire to live on. 

Drinking juice helped, but they still had to go out every night and drink from someone. One meal a night was mandatory. Tim didn’t think they could die of old age, or starve, but Dick wasn’t too keen on finding out. Starving was never fun and if it got too bad he would most likely attack the first human that smelled delicious.  
He and Tim drank pretty much the same amount of blood and Dick felt always good and sated after. 

“No, shit,” Dick said, because people only smelled delicious when they were injured in some way. Dick couldn’t smell the blood inside their bodies, but Jay- fuck. Jay just always smelled wonderful. 

“I thought it was only me, but it seems…he’s like catnip for vampires,” Tim replied. “Maybe because he already died once?”

“Really?”

“Dick,” Tim said, putting his empty glass down on the counter. “I have no idea. None. Could be anything, could be that we’re suckers for him and no other vampire would be so obsessed with him.”

Dick smiled. “We are suckers for Jay.” 

Tim smiled back. “Yeah. He doesn’t make it easy but-”

“He’s worth it,” Dick finished. 

Tim nodded. 

~+~

“Dick,” Bruce said and Dick winced slightly. 

Thank god it was a phone and not a video call. “Bruce,” Dick replied. 

“I heard you have help in Blüdhaven,” Bruce said carefully. 

Help, Dick thought. Was Bruce talking about Red Hood or Shadow? Probably about Shadow. Bruce knew Red Hood after all and even if he didn’t like how Jason got things done, he mostly left Jason do what he pleased if it wasn’t in Gotham. 

“Yeah, he’s alright,” Dick said and knew that it would hardly satisfy Bruce. 

“He’s a kid,” Bruce replied. 

“Damian is a kid,” Dick shot back. 

“Damian is with me, he was trained by his grandfather.” 

Dick sighed, stopped in front of the Polish bakery. He should get something for Jason. “Shadow is well trained and I trust him.” 

“There is something off about him.” 

It dawned on Dick then. “Because you couldn’t find out who he is.” 

“You know,” Bruce stated. 

“Yeah, I do.” Maybe that poppy pastry thingy, Dick thought. 

“Dick-”

“He’s alright, Bruce. He’s great in fact. I have to go, I promised Jay pastries.” 

For a moment it seemed like Bruce wanted to ask more questions, but by now he knew that Jason was in Blüdhaven. Probably knew that he was living with Dick too. So it made Dick wonder, how Bruce couldn’t find out that Tim was Shadow. Maybe Bruce was testing him and if he was, Dick just failed.

“Take care, Dick,” Bruce said. 

“You too,” Dick replied and ended the call. He got two of the poppy pastries for Jay and went home. 

~+~

“I erased my data. Created new identities,” Tim said. “I look like a sixteen year old kid. I’m careful coming in and out of your apartment. Who the hell would even think I could be Shadow? They don’t even know who I am.”

“We know who you are,” Jason said. 

“He’s curious now, so he won’t let it be,” Dick threw in. 

Tim looked up from his laptop. “I don’t except him too. What will you tell him?”

“That you’re our boyfriend,” Jason answered. 

“Oh, I imagine how that will go,” Dick winced. 

“It’s not like you haven’t been sleeping with Meta-humans before.” Jason said. 

“Kory is not a Meta-Human. She’s an Alien princess.” 

“I rest my case,” Jason said. “Can’t be a shock to him either that you fuck men.”

“Because I grew up in a circus and am open minded?” Dick asked with an arched eyebrow. 

“Yeah, that,” Jason grinned. 

Dick grabbed his ankle and pulled him in so he could straddle Jason. It was still a bit of a mind-fuck that Jason grew up to be so much bigger and broader than Dick. He made himself at home in Jason’s lap and bent down to kiss him. “Or because you think I’m easy?” He whispered. 

“I was thinking, you’re a slut, Grayson,” Jason replied with a grin. 

“There is nothing wrong with liking sex.”

“I didn’t say there is,” Jason replied, grabbing Dick by the neck and crushing his mouth against his own. “I love that you two are ready to drop to your knees pretty much whenever for me.”

“Stuff your overlord tendencies, Jay,” Dick said, licking Jason’s neck. Jason arched into it, his hips rocking against Dick. 

“Make me,” Jason taunted. 

Tim shut his laptop and settled on the coffee table, probably because it had the best view of the couch where Dick and Jason were about to have sex.  
Jason turned his head, winked at Tim and then opened Dick’s pants, pulled out his cock and opened his mouth in invitation. 

“Oh,” Dick said, to his own ears it sounded breathy. They’ve done pretty much everything three guys could do with each other in bed, especially when two were vampires and one an ex-acrobat, but it always stole Dick’s breath away when Jay offered himself up like this. 

He let his cock nudge Jason’s lower lip before he slid it into Jason’s willing warm mouth. Jason pulled him in. Dick moaned. He could feel Tim’s gaze on them. Dick should have known that having someone watch him having sex would do it for him (among other things), but it still had been a surprise the first time. And Tim so clearly enjoyed watching them. 

Dick closed his eyes as Jason began to suck. He wanted to thrust into Jay’s mouth, but didn’t just yet. Jason would let him know when he could. The sound of Tim unzipping his pants made Dick’s eyes snap open and look at him. He was hard, his slender fingers curled around his cock, pale and glistening at the tip. Dick's hips stuttered forward and Jason made a sound.

“Shit, sorry, sorry-” he cut himself off with a moan when Jason hummed and pulled him deeper, looking up at Dick, giving him permission to let go and fuck Jason’s mouth. Dick took him up on it, driving his cock into Jason’s mouth until he could feel his orgasm close, so fucking close, and then Tim grabbed his hand and bit his wrist without breaking skin and Dick came so hard he saw stars. 

Jason pushed him away and he fell backwards on the couch. Watched Tim lean over and rub at the bulge in Jason’s pants, felt Jason go still as he came, heard Tim’s groan of pleasure when he stroked himself to competition. 

“You made me come in my pants,” Jason said, his voice raspy. 

“Won’t be the last time,” Tim said, something pleased and happy in his voice that Dick liked, could get used to hearing every day for the rest of his life. 

Jason laughed and sat up to look at Dick. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Dick said. “I am.”

“Good, go and make me something to eat, while I shower,” he leaned over and kissed Dick’s wrist where the bite marks were already starting to fade. The first few times it freaked Dick out how fast he healed, but in their line of work it sure as hell was handy. No more new scars. Less explaining to do when one intended to get naked with someone else. Not that Dick wanted to get naked with anyone but Tim and Jay in the foreseeable future. And they knew his body. 

“Pizza okay?” 

“Yes,” Jason said, he got up, kissed Tim and went to the bathroom. Both Dick and Tim stared until the door closed. Sometimes Jason left it open in invitation to join him. Not now and they respected his need for privacy. 

The apartment was small, cramped even, and with Tim more or less living here too when he wasn’t in Chicago, Dick was starting to think maybe they needed a bigger place. 

“When Bruce finds out about you, what will you do?” Dick asked. 

“He probably already did. Maybe he’s waiting for you to come to him and explain,” Tim answered. 

“Right,” Dick said. He wasn’t looking forward to that conversation. Not only the one about being in a relationship with two men (one of them being Jason – which was all kinds of complicated for Bruce for sure), but also the vampire part. He knew he had to come clean. Bruce was giving him space, but Bruce was Bruce was Bruce and he wouldn’t wait forever. 

“Just tell him.” 

“How did you tell your parents?” 

“I didn’t. By then they were dead,” Tim said. 

“What?” 

“I kept them alive on paper until I was of age,” Tim answered. 

Dick had known that Tim’s parents had died while on vacation on some tropical island. Everyone knew that, but now it seemed that there was more to their deaths. “What happened?”

“They were kidnapped, they were killed,” Tim said. 

“And you became a vampire,” Dick realized. 

Tim nodded. 

Dick wanted to ask more questions, but Tim put himself together and got up. “We should put that pizza in the oven and I have a new lead on the people who tortured you.” 

Dick nodded, watched Tim wash his hands and take out the pizza from the freezer. He was curious about Tim’s past. He wanted to know how Tim became a vampire. Who did it to him and why.  
He was pretty sure it hadn’t been out of love. Not like his own turning.  
There was always a catalyst for choosing the way of a vigilante. Dick’s was when his parents died, when he found out about Bruce and the Batman.  
Jay’s- fuck, there were probably too many factors to pin one down. But being chosen by Batman himself – how could you say no?  
And Tim did it all on his own. He lost his parents, he became a vampire, he moved to Chicago and took up the cowl.  
Tim chose justice over revenge. 

Or maybe, Dick thought, as he watched Tim slice vegetables for a salad, maybe Tim was still working on his revenge. 

~Three~

“Dick,” Bruce said as Dick opened the door. 

Dick was only in his boxers and Tim was right there in his bedroom naked and Jay was out getting breakfast because Dick forgot to buy food – and this was really bad timing. “Bruce, you should have called,” Dick said. 

Bruce arched a brow. “Are you going to let me in?” 

Dick stepped aside. “Sure, come in. Coffee?” 

“Yes, thank you,” Bruce replied, letting his eyes sweep over the apartment. It wasn’t a mess anymore since Jay and Tim moved in. They were both kinda neat freaks.  
Dick was sure that Bruce knew that there was someone in his bedroom. 

“This is really bad timing, Bruce,” Dick said, as he was preparing coffee, he made one for Jay too, because Jay would be home any minute now. 

“You were avoiding me,” Bruce said. 

“Well, yeah…” Dick replied. He was avoiding Bruce and lying to him now wouldn’t change that fact or that Bruce knew of it. 

“Is it because of Jason?” 

“Partly,” Dick answered, handing Bruce the mug with coffee. 

“Thank you,” Bruce said. “You have to realize that I think it’s good that Jason is here with you. He seems more stable. You are his brother.”

Dick winced. “Not by blood and that is the important part here, because me and Jay…we’re together.” 

Bruce took a sip of his coffee. Dick was sure that Bruce had known that fact too. He just didn’t want to face it or talk about it. But then if he didn’t, why was he here? 

“You know that of course, so what is this visit about?”

“You have a problem in your city, Dick,” Bruce answered. 

“Not only one,” Dick replied. 

“I don’t mean the normal problems, Dick and you know it. I mean the unexplained blood loss in a lot of the victims. I mean the fact that you chose to ignore it.” 

Dick didn’t really know what to tell Bruce here, and was saved by the doorbell. Because Jay never took his keys with him when he was just running down to get breakfast from the Russian bakery around the corner. 

“One second,” Dick said, opening the door. As soon as Jay saw him he grinned and pulled him into a hard kiss. 

“Did you have fun while I was gone?” 

“Yeah,” Dick said, and even he could hear the impossibly tender fondness in his voice. 

“Hi, Bruce,” Jason said, not even looking at Bruce. “You should have called.”

“Yes,” Bruce said. “I was already told I should have.” 

“Is Tim hiding in the bedroom?” Jason asked, putting the paper bag with breakfast down on the counter and taking off his jacket.

“Yeah, he is,” Dick said wryly. 

“So, Bruce, what is this about then?” Jason asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Even through the shirt he was wearing his arms looked delicious and Dick wanted to bite them. 

“Our problem we chose to ignore. The victims with the blood loss,” Dick supplied. 

“Ah…well,” Jason relaxed and poured himself a mug of coffee. “No one died from it.”

“No,” Bruce said. 

“So it’s not a killer we deal with here,” Jason replied. 

“No, but it’s still a dangerous creature that has to be dealt with,” Bruce said. 

“I don’t see why,” Jason said. 

“You don’t see why?” 

“I don’t see why. He or she isn’t killing anyone. Nor are any good citizens killed. The scumbags that are hurt had it coming.” 

“Jason-”

“No,” Jason cut in. “This is Dick’s city. He decides what or who is being dealt with.” 

“Right now,” Bruce said, “It seems like you’re deciding that for him.” 

Jason’s lips curled into a smile, it wasn’t a nice smile. “Ah, you think I’m being a bad influence on him.” 

Great, Dick thought, this was escalating and fast. 

“It’s a well-known fact that you-”

“It’s me,” Tim said, coming out of the bedroom. He was dressed, even if not showered. He looked young, so fucking young. 

Bruce got up from the couch and starred at him. “Timothy Drake.” 

“Mister Wayne,” Tim said. “Nice seeing you again.” He held out his hand and Bruce shook it.  
There was silence while Bruce looked to Dick and then to Jay. 

“Oh, please,” Jay said. “You must have known or at least suspected that Dick’s fucking him too.” 

Dick and Tim winced at the bluntness of Jason’s words. 

“You look very young,” Bruce said. 

“It’s because of my condition,” Tim replied. Dick handed him a mug of coffee and Tim smiled at him. 

“Your condition,” Bruce prompted. 

“You see, Mister Wayne, I am a vampire,” Tim said. 

“A vampire?”

“I realized, it’s hard to believe, but I assure you it is the truth. And the victims with blood loss, that is me feeding. I have to feed to stay alive, I don’t kill them.” Tim was holding Bruce’s gaze while he spoke. Wasn’t shying away from it. Dick felt like a coward for not telling Bruce that he too was a vampire, for letting Tim take all the blame for the blood loss victims. 

“Even if most of those scumbags deserved it,” Jason threw in.

Tim smiled at Jason. “Not helping.” 

“Is that why you look like a teenage boy?” Bruce asked. 

“I don’t age like a human anymore,” Tim confirmed. “Because I am not. Strictly speaking a human.” 

“What about animal blood?” Bruce asked. 

Great, Dick thought, and the integration begins. “Bruce, just stop,” Dick said.

“No, it’s fine, Dick,” Tim said. “I can’t feed on animals. It has no nourishing effects. And before you ask, I don’t want to steal blood-bags from hospitals because good people in critical conditions need them. Feeding on the criminal elements is the solution I came up with and Dick is gracious enough to allow me to do it in his city.” 

Gracious, Dick thought. Fuck. 

“Because he’s sleeping with you,” Bruce said. 

“No, because it’s the right thing to do. I can’t let a good person like Tim starve. He doesn’t kill anyone,” Dick replied hotly. 

“If you’re just here to be judgmental again, then leave. Because frankly I had enough of that for a lifetime,” Jason cut in. He was stepping in front of Tim, shielding him from Bruce. It was – hot, Dick thought. Jay’s protective streak really did it for him. 

“I see,” Bruce said. 

“Bruce-” Dick tried, but Bruce interrupted him as usual. 

“It’s fine. I understand,” he said. 

Dick didn’t think he did. He got some of it, but not all. Shit. He had to tell Bruce. “I don’t think you do.”

“Dick-” Tim warned. 

Dick knew that there was no going back to how they were when he told Bruce. But lying hadn’t done him any good either. Bruce would find out soon enough anyway. Dick wasn’t going to age like a human. 

“We need to talk,” Dick said. “Please sit down.” 

“You don’t have to do this. You don’t owe it to him, Dick. This is your life,” Jason said. 

“It’s ours,” Dick replied. 

Bruce sat down. “I’m listening. 

“A while ago, I was kidnapped, tortured, and I nearly died,” Dick began. 

Bruce nodded, it wasn’t like he didn’t know the drill. 

“It was a really – I mean,” Dick took a deep breath and told Bruce the truth, “I died. I really, really died, Bruce. And Tim brought me back.”

“This means Tim isn’t the only one who feeds on the criminals in this city,” Bruce stated. 

“No, he isn’t,” Dick said. 

“You said you would protect this city from harm,” Bruce replied. 

“I am doing that.”

“You are harming its citizens,” Bruce said. 

“You’d rather he had died then?” Jason cut in. 

Bruce was silent for far too long, Dick knew. Jason laughed humorlessly. 

“Of course you do. You’ve always cared more for them, than for us!” He spit. “Why do I even still bother with you? You’ve obviously learned nothing from the last time one of your – soldiers died.”  
Dick was pretty sure the word Jason bit back had been ‘son’.  
“Well, I, for one, am fiercely glad he’s still alive, no matter that some people would think of him as not human. Some people think the same about me. He at least knows that he’s loved,” Jason said. “I need fresh air,” he added and grabbed his jacket and keys, before he slammed the door. 

Fuck, Dick thought, and the day had started out so fucking great. 

“He forgot his breakfast, I’d better go after him,” Tim said into the silence. “It was nice seeing you again, Mister Wayne.” 

Dick nearly laughed, because fuck Tim. So polite and proper, but get your mouth on him and – he stopped that train of thought right there. 

“Yeah, make sure he’s fine,” Dick said, handing him the bag from the bakery. 

“I will. See you later, Dick,” Tim said and kissed him lightly. He was such a tease, Dick thought. 

And then Dick was alone with Bruce and he didn’t know what else to tell Bruce to make him understand. 

“Is there a way to reverse it?” Bruce asked. 

“I’m sure if there was, Tim would have found it by now, Bruce. No there isn’t. I am a vampire now,” Dick answered. “And I’m happy that Tim did it. I didn’t want to die. I just got pretty much everything I ever wanted. My life is good now.” 

“You’re drinking human blood,” Bruce pointed out. 

“Yes, but you kill animals to eat them. Feeling, caring beings with a social system, Bruce.”

“You sound like Damian,” Bruce replied, fondness creeping into his voice. 

“I understand this is a lot to get used to,” Dick said. 

“It is,” Bruce replied, getting up. 

“You know you can count on me if you’ll need help. Jay and Tim too.”

“I know I can, Dick,” Bruce said, but Dick thought it was a lie. Bruce wasn’t sure about anything. When Jason had come back, he had been different. Bruce was probably asking himself when Dick would fall off the deep end and start murdering innocent people. The answer should have been obvious, Dick thought, bitterly. Never. 

“See you soon?” Dick asked. 

Bruce smiled. “You are always welcome at the manor.” 

~+~

“How did it go?” Tim asked once he and Jason were back. Bruce of course was long gone by then. 

“As expected,” Dick answered. 

“Are you glad you told him?” Jason asked. 

“Yeah, I am. No more secrets. He’ll come around.”

“Sure will. He’ll learn to live with it because there is nothing else to do. You can’t change who you are,” Jason said. “Not like me.”

“You don’t have to change who you are,” Tim said fiercely. “You are perfect the way you are.”

“To you two, maybe,” Jason replied. 

“Is there anyone else who counts?” Tim challenged. 

Jason smiled and pulled Tim into a kiss. “No there isn’t.” 

~Four~

Dick woke up feeling still tired as hell and hungry. Tim was in Chicago for a few days, following up leads, scaring the all loving hell out of criminals in his city and probably doing a million other things. 

Jay wasn’t at the apartment either. The bed felt cold, so Jay had been gone a while. 

Dick stretched, his body felt loose, but still heavy. All he wanted to do was to bury his face in the pillow that smelled like them and home and everything that was good and wait for his lovers to come home.  
But he had things to do and he was hungry. His stomach made a noise. It hadn’t done that since his transformation. He hadn’t felt this tired since his transformation either.

It was true that they were mostly back to their human selves when the sun came up, but there was still that little bit extra there. Not feeling hungry once he fed at night for the whole day was one of the perks. He knew he had fed last night. Tim kept sending him text messages once a night to make sure he ate like a real vampire. Thinking about it made him smile. 

Dick pressed his face into the pillow and then rolled onto his stomach, inhaled the scent that was still lingering there and got hard just thinking about the last time they were all together in this bed. His hips started a slow rolling rhythm without his permission. It was instinct or something. When it came to sex Dick felt a little bit more wild and feral since the turning. He loved to wrestle with Tim when they were still vampire-strong. Equally matched, fast and merciless. He loved that Tim could pin him down, spin him and fuck him hard. Loved that it got Jay hot and bothered watching them. Loved that he could smell the arousal on Jay. Sharp and delicious like blood.  
Dick bit the pillow as he came against the sheets and then just breathed, feeling his body relax and the wet spot under him cool. He rolled over, his stomach made that noise again. 

Dick grabbed a pair of boxers and made his way to the kitchen. Tim had told him that their bodies could only process fluids, but – he grabbed the milk and cereal box anyway. He had never felt so hungry before.  
The cereal smelled sugary and Dick just couldn’t help himself. He trusted Tim, but Tim didn’t know everything there was to know about vampires. He himself had told Dick that the vampirism affected everyone a little bit differently. Maybe Dick would be the first vampire who could eat actual food.  
Who knew?  
This whole thing was a self-experiment anyway. There was no handbook, there was only Tim who had lived with it for only a few years. 

He took a spoonful and ate only half of it for starters. He swallowed and waited. He could feel the cold milk go down his throat and esophagus, could feel it settle somewhere in his stomach. He waited a few more minutes. Nothing, no cramps, no pain, nothing.  
Dick shrugged and started eating his cereal. 

~+~

Dick woke up in bed with Tim staring at him from the chair close by.

“What?” He tried to sit up, but his body wasn’t cooperating. 

“What the fuck Dick?! What the fuck?” Jason asked, glaring down at him. His hands that were holding a mug of coffee were slightly shaking. 

“You’re back?” 

“Yes, and so is Tim because I thought you were dead!” Jason exploded and Tim was at his side in a flash, prying the mug from his hands and putting it down on the ancient dresser. 

“You remember what happened?” Tim asked. 

“I woke up, you guys were gone, I jerked off, went to the kitchen. Had cereal…” And then? Nothing. Dick couldn’t remember how he got into bed, or if he even left the chair in the kitchen. It was night outside. He had been out a while. “What happened?”

“You had cereal,” Tim answered. 

“I – yes?”

“He told you that your new body can’t process solid foods, didn’t he?” Jason asked. 

“Yes, but I was so hungry and it was fine. I ate a spoonful and there was no pain or anything.”

“Yeah, there wouldn’t be,” Tim replied. “It was my fault-”

“Bullshit,” Jason cut in. “It was Dick’s for being a stupid fuck. And not listening to you.”

“Why do I feel so weak?” Dick asked. It was night he should be feeling strong. 

“Your body is still healing itself,” Tim said. 

Dick registered the clean sheets and the smell of disinfectant in the air. “What happened?”

“I came home, found you passed out on the kitchen floor and not breathing. That is what happened. And then when I didn’t fucking know what to do, I called Tim who came here as soon as he could to save your stupid life.”

“I- what?”

“You would have healed in time, it wasn’t going to kill you,” Tim cut in. 

“Explain please,” Dick said, giving up on the idea of sitting up and sinking down into the soft bed instead. 

“Our bodies can’t handle solid food. It clogs everything up inside us and we fall into something like a coma. A sleep, while our bodies heal ourselves. I – it lasts for weeks, Dick.” 

“Oh… And that happened to me because I had cereal? How long was I out?” 

“Three days,” Jason said. “And I think it was only that short because Tim bled you dry and then gave you his blood.”

“I wasn’t sure if it would work, but our blood has healing properties, so it was worth a shot,” Tim shrugged. 

“How do you know it takes weeks?” Dick asked. 

“I ate a sandwich once,” Tim replied with a wry smile. “And when I woke up it was three weeks later. And I was unable to get up from the floor for days. I was just lying there, helpless and useless and starving.”

“Shit, Tim,” Jason said, pulling Tim close and rubbing his back. 

“I’m fine. It happened years ago,” Tim replied, but he wasn’t pulling away from Jason. Like maybe the memory still hurt. 

“I’m sorry,” Dick said. 

“You should be,” Jason replied. “I was so fucking scared – I mean, fuck, Dick!” 

“I’m sorry,” Dick said helplessly. There was nothing else he could say anyway. 

“Why did you do it?” Tim asked. 

“I was hungry, my stomach was grumbling, I thought – you said that the vampirism affects everyone differently. I thought maybe I was the first vampire who could eat solid foods.”

“You were wrong,” Jason said. 

“Yes, I was and I am sorry for scaring you like that.”

“You realize that if we didn’t know you were a vampire we would have buried you by now?” Jason asked. 

“Would I die then?” Dick wanted to know. 

Tim shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe? If you were weak and buried alive, maybe. I don’t know if we can die that way, Dick. I don’t know if we can die like that at all.” 

Dick nodded. He remembered how horrible Tim had looked the first time they met. But Tim healed up alright. He was as good as before. Not even the faintest scar left. 

“We are not going to try it out,” Jason said firmly. 

Dick smiled. “I’m not suicidal. Just stupid sometimes.”

“You can be glad we love you,” Jason replied. 

It made Dick’s heart jump in his chest painfully. “Jay-”

“Shut up, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have stuck around for so long, would I now?”

“No,” Dick said. 

“Tim wouldn’t either. Because look at him! He can have anyone. He's smart, beautiful, fierce and scary.” 

“Don’t forget rich,” Tim threw in. 

Jason smiled. Dick was endlessly grateful for that smile. “Yes, and rich. What a catch. And he’s with us losers. If that ain’t love, I don’t know what is.”

Tim kissed Jason’s cheek. It looked impossibly tender. 

“I swear I won’t do anything so stupid ever again,” Dick said. 

“Good.” Jason replied, crossing his arms over his chest. “Now that you’re up, I’m gonna get you a snack.”

“Jason-”

“Don’t even start. You can’t get up, you need to eat and Tim can’t feed you all the time. It makes him weak,” Jason cut him off. “I’ll be back in a bit. Tim can make him forget all about it afterwards.” And with that he left the bedroom. 

Dick closed his eyes and listened to Jason’s footsteps on the floor. Living room, hall, the soft cling of the keys and then the soft noise of the closing door.  
Tim sat down on the bed and Dick grabbed whatever he could reach. It was Tim’s knee. 

“Don’t,” Tim said, pushing Dick’s hand a bit further up. “I’m ticklish there. Drives me crazy when someone is just-”

“Okay,” Dick said with a smile. “So how close was it?” 

“I didn’t lie,” Tim said, a note of defensiveness in his voice. “I don’t think you would have died. I don’t think we can die. We get older yes, but so much slower and we can’t really starve, because then our bodies go into a sleep and wait for – someone to come around. And then instinct will take over.”

Dick wondered how Tim knew that, but it wasn’t the time to ask these questions.  
“Jason was pretty freaked out, wasn’t he?” Dick asked. 

“You have no idea,” Tim replied. “He acts like nothing can shake him anymore since he died and came back, but-”

“When you left him he was a mess too,” Dick cut in. 

“I know. I thought it would be better for him to be with someone human.” 

“You are human,” Dick said. 

Tim smiled. “We both know that isn’t true.” 

“And you know that humanity isn’t only about how your body works,” Dick said. 

Tim sighed. “Can’t win with you.” 

“Don’t even try,” Dick replied smiling. “Come here.” Tim laid down next to him. His breath was warm and even on Dick’s skin. “You shouldn’t have fed me with your own blood.”

“Was nice,” Tim said. 

“What?” 

“Felt nice when your body took over – there was a rush. I don’t know. We should try it again when you’re well.”

“Keeping it in mind,” Dick said, kissing Tim’s head. “Jason said it made you weak.”

“You took too much, wasn’t your fault, instinct's just instinct, that’s why, but the first few pulls, that was good,” Tim replied. 

“Okay,” Dick said. He was feeling sleepy again. It seemed his body really needed to sleep a lot to heal itself. Dick wasn’t going to fight it. 

~+~

When next Dick woke up he was feeling a lot better. He had a vague memory of feeding on someone Jason had brought and then Tim telling him to go to sleep again. 

He stretched and sat up. The room was empty, the bed only warm where Dick had been sleeping.  
He listened, Jason and Tim were in the living room then, the TV was on. He could hear explosions. Jason had been allowed to choose the movie.  
Dick smiled and got up. 

“You’re back with the living then,” Jason said as Dick stepped behind the couch and kissed his temple. 

“Yes, I am.”

“There is a blood bag in the fridge. I know you guys don’t like it, but it’s handy and works too. Tim says it’s manageable when you heat it in the microwave and add whiskey.”

“Thank you, Jason,” Dick said. 

“You’re welcome,” Jason replied. He was still staring at the screen. 

Dick grabbed his hair and pulled so Jason had to look up at him. “I’m sorry.”

“I know,” Jason said. 

“I’m gonna make it up to you,” Dick said, leaning down and kissing Jason gently. It was an awkward angle, but Dick liked how Jason’s throat was exposed like this. 

“You will,” Jason confirmed. “When you’re better.” 

“I’m fine. Ask Tim. He’s our expert. I’m as good as new.” He let go of Jason’s hair and looked at Tim.

“I think,” Tim said, with a playful spark in his eyes, “We need a thorough inspection to be sure.”

“Oh?” Dick asked. 

“Yes, you should strip, so we can examine every inch of your body,” Tim answered. 

Dick liked that promise in Tim’s eyes, liked that Tim didn’t say ‘skin’. 

“Maybe we should start by taking your temperature?” Jason teased. 

“Under my tongue?” Dick asked. 

“We should double check, I think,” Tim said. “Under your tongue might be misleading.” 

Dick really liked where this was going. 

“You heard the expert, Dick, strip,” Jason said. The commanding tone made Dick shiver pleasantly.  
Dick stripped out of his clothes – not much to begin with anyway as he had been in his pajamas – and stood in the living room naked and waiting. 

“I’ll get the thermometer,” Tim said, standing up in a fluid motion and disappearing in the direction of the bathroom. Dick wasn’t sure they even had a thermometer. 

Jason stood up too and then looked Dick over while he walked slowly around him. “Doesn’t look like there’ll be any lasting damage,” Jason said, running his fingertips lightly over Dick’s ribs and back. “Of course I’m not the expert.” 

Dick was shivering, but it wasn’t from cold. He felt hot where Jason touched him so gently, fleetingly. Jason’s eyes were intend and promising all kinds of things. 

He was just running his fingertips over Dick’s nape when Tim came in with the thermometer. “And?” 

“Inconclusive, I think you should do a thorough examination as well,” Jason answered. “Just to make sure.”

Tim cocked his head. “Yes, it would be safer that way.” He crossed over to them and stood before Dick, looking up into his face. “Open up, Dick,” he said and Dick did. Tim placed the thermometer gently under Dick’s tongue. “You may close your mouth now,” Tim whispered, letting his fingertips trail over the corner of Dick’s lip. 

It was suddenly hard to breathe. His cock was hard and his heart was beating a bit too fast. Tim pressed his nose against Dick’s neck. “You smell really good right now.” 

Dick couldn’t answer with the thermometer between his lips. Couldn’t tell them that they smelled good as well. He made a frustrated noise at the back of his throat and Tim bit him lightly for his trouble. 

“Be nice now while we check you over, Dick,” Tim said, stepping away and then he was walking around Dick too, trailing fingers over his ribcage, his back, his shoulders, arms, nape, legs. “We have to be sure you are really alright and up for carnal pleasures like we have them in mind.”

“Don’t want you to pass out halfway through,” Jason added. Dick was trembling under their soft, teasing touches. He grabbed the couch for support. “Are you feeling weak?” Jason asked. “Maybe you should sleep some more.”

Dick shook his head. This goddamned thermometer! Was Tim ever going to allow Dick to take it out of his mouth?

“Maybe we should go easy on you,” Tim mused, running a hand down Dick’s back and the curve of his ass and then inside over his thighs. Dick spread his legs and shook his head again. “No?”

Dick shook his head again. No, he didn’t want them to go easy on him. He was fine. He was hard as a rock and his fingers were clenching the back of the couch so hard his knuckles were white. It was a good thing it was daylight, because if it were night they would’ve needed a new couch. 

“He does look alright,” Jason commented. “Feels good too,” he added, running a hand down Dick’s stomach, but stopping shortly before he would touch the head of Dick’s hard cock. Dick groaned. This was torture. 

“I still think we should check his temperature here too, just to be sure,” Tim replied, slipping a finger inside Dick’s crack and rubbing the pad gently over his hole. 

Dick moaned, nearly biting down on the thermometer. He leaned over the couch in an unmistakable invitation to touch him more. 

“I think Dickiebird agrees with you,” Jason said, amusement lazing his voice. 

“Well, I have the feeling he only listens to me and agrees with me when it suits him,” Tim replied. He leaned over Dick’s back to whisper in his ear. “Next time you do something so stupid, I’ll spank you.” 

It made Dick shiver. He didn’t know if Tim meant it, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to find out, but right now the words alone made him impossibly harder. Spiking his arousal. Tim reached over and pulled the thermometer out of Dick’s mouth gently. “Temperature seems normal,” he said against Dick’s neck. Dick could feel the hard line of Tim’s cock pressing into him. 

“Told you,” Dick managed. 

“Now, Dick, we have to make sure,” Jason said as Tim stepped back. “Lube?” he asked, but it wasn’t directed at Dick. 

“No, it’s slick and wet and warm from Dick’s own saliva. Should be fine,” Tim said and spread Dick’s cheeks so he could push the thermometer in. 

“Oh, fuck,” Dick groaned, moving his hips. 

“Stop that,” Jason said, slapping Dick’s ass lightly. “It’s not a sex toy.”

“But maybe we should get a few,” Tim mused, holding the thermometer in place. “He seems to like it.” 

Dick did, Dick liked it a lot. The idea of them playing with him – his cock jumped at the pictures that supplied. 

“Maybe we should,” Jason said. “You’d like that, Dick?”

“Yes, oh god, yes,” Dick answered. 

Jason grabbed him by the hair and kissed him hard. Dick was panting once they came up for air. He wanted to taste Jason again. “Jay-”

“What?”

“Let me suck you, please,” Dick said. 

“How’s that temperature?” Jason asked, looking at Tim. 

“I think we should leave the thermometer in a few more minutes to be sure,” Tim answered. 

“You’ll have to wait a bit longer, Dickiebird,” Jason said. He grabbed Tim, pulled him in and kissed Tim hard. The thermometer was nearly pulled out by Jason's maneuver. Tim gave back as good as he got. They were so fucking beautiful Dick thought as he watched. He could hardly stand not being able to touch. He needed them so badly, his body was shivering with it. He was afraid to move because he didn’t want the slender object inside him to be swallowed when Tim accidentally let go of it. 

Tim looked at him once Jason gave his lips free. “Look at you, so hard, so beautiful, so-”

“Ready to be fucked,” Dick got out. “Please.” 

Tim looked at his watch. It was to annoy Dick, Dick was sure. But instead Dick found it hot. “Yes, I think we can pull it out now.” 

“Thank you,” Dick said as Tim pulled the thermometer out. Jason replaced it with a slick finger a moment later. Tim must had gotten the lube when he got the thermometer, Dick thought dimly. Fuck, but Jay’s fingers felt so good inside him. Jason prepared him fast and a bit roughly. Dick didn’t mind at all.

“Want Tim to fuck you? While you suck me off?” Jason asked. 

“Yes,” Dick said. Jason grabbed him and Tim and positioned them on the couch. Dick on hands and knees, Tim behind him and Jason in front of Dick. Dick licked his lips. Jason’s smell was intoxicating. He was so focused on Jay’s scent he was surprised when Tim entered him in one swift move. They both groaned. 

“You okay?” Tim asked. His voice rough, but his tone gentle. 

“Yes,” Dick said and then put his mouth on Jason’s cock. 

Jason’s hands tangled in his hair, his hips rocking gently as Dick sucked him. Dick could smell them all, hear their harsh breathes, the slap of flesh on flesh. Fuck, but he loved this, loved them so much his heart felt like it was going to burst. And then Tim wrapped his slender fingers around Dick’s cock and Dick was shuddering and coming. He had to pull off of Jason to catch his breath while Tim fucked him harder. Selfishly racing toward his own orgasm. 

Jason carded impatient fingers through Dick’s hair. Dick took the hint and swallowed Jason down again. He and Tim came nearly at the same time. 

They collapsed onto Jason and Jason let them. Ran his hands over their bodies until they could breathe again. 

After a while Jason grabbed Dick’s face in his hands and kissed him gently, ignoring his own taste in Dick’s mouth. “Up for a snack now?” 

“Yes,” Dick answered. 

“Good,” Tim said, getting up and stretching. Both he and Jason were watching him. Unbelievingly beautiful and unblemished, flawless being that he was. 

Sometimes, like now, it stole Dick’s breath away looking at Tim: naked, sated, happy, and with the sun illuminating his pale skin. Tim smiled at them. 

“What?” The little eyebrow raised in question was adorable. 

Dick shook his head, burrowed his head in Jason’s chest. 

“Awed by your beauty,” Jason said, deadpan. It was the fucking truth. 

“Fuck you guys,” Tim replied, rolling his eyes at them. “Shower?”

“Yes,” Dick said. “We need a bigger shower…”

“We need a bigger place,” Jason threw in. 

“Yeah,” Tim said, disappearing into the bathroom. 

It was a decision long overdue, Dick thought. Jason’s hands tightened around him and he soaked up his warmth, until it was his turn to use the shower. 

~Five~

Dick was stalking bigger places to rent or buy – he might as well buy something permanent now, maybe not in Blüdhaven – and drinking a mix of coffee and blood when Tim emerged from his little corner in the living room and sat down at the kitchen table with Dick. 

He grabbed Dick’s mug, took a sip. “Surprisingly tasty,” he said. 

“Thanks,” Dick replied, closing the laptop, and looked at Tim. 

Tim took a deep breath. “I found them.” 

Dick didn’t have to ask who Tim had found. He had half hoped that they would never find the people who – who killed him. 

His hands trembled and he put them flat on the tabletop. Pressed his palms against the wood and bit his lip. “Okay, did you tell Jay?”

“Not yet,” Tim said. He ran a hand through his hair. “I found them days ago. Wanted to make sure it was them. I have pictures-”

“Yes,” Dick cut in. Because yes he wanted to make sure for himself. 

“Okay,” Tim said, grabbing Dick’s laptop and pulling his files up. And there they were the three men who had tortured and killed Dick for sports. Dick had known then that they took a sick pleasure in it. The fact that they had captured Nightwing had been just a bonus. 

“Yes,” Dick said. “There was a fourth man…he made a video.” 

They had all been wearing masks at first, but then when it was clear that Dick was beyond saving they had taken them off. They were ordinary men. Looked like bankers, or taxi drivers, or teachers. Nothing especially remarkable or cruel about them.  
But Dick would never forget their faces.

“I know. Wasn’t able to find him yet, but I think these three will spill about him.”

Dick nodded. “The video?”

“I haven’t found it on the internet or anywhere else, Dick.” 

Dick was weak with relief. It wasn’t out there. Or if it was, it was hidden very well. “Okay.”

“I will find it and I will destroy it.” Tim swore. He put his hands on Dick’s and Dick exhaled slowly. The warmth of Tim’s fingers was seeping into his own. It felt good. 

“Thank you,” Dick said. 

“There is absolutely no need to thank me, Dick,” Tim replied. “I’m sorry it took me so long to find them.”

Once they had started to shake up trees the scumbags in question had gone underground and deep too. Maybe Batman with all his connections could have found them, but – Dick didn’t want Bruce’s help on this.  
This was his. 

His life. 

His death. 

His revenge. 

He wondered if Jason had felt that way back when he had come back from the dead. All this anger focused on the one person that had killed him. Beat him to death. He closed his eyes. It was a bit too close to what had happened to him.  
He had wondered back then how you came back from that. If Jason would ever be the boy he used to be before. Now he knew. 

“Dick?” Tim asked gently. 

“How did you manage?”

“What?”

“How…the person that killed you, what did you do to them?” 

Tim sighed. “Nothing.” 

Jason…Jason hadn’t done nothing, but he hadn’t been able to kill the Joker either. Dick wanted to ask Tim why. Why hadn’t he done anything, but – he felt too emotional at the moment. Wasn’t thinking clearly. 

“What will you do?” Tim asked after a too long silence. 

Dick blinked. He had been staring into the distance for a while. “I don’t know yet.” It was the truth.  
The vampire in him wanted revenge, but maybe that was the human in him. 

“Whatever you decide, we will be by your side, Dick.” 

“I know,” Dick replied. 

~+~

It was irresponsible for all of them to leave Blüdhaven, but there was no way in hell either Tim or Jason would stay behind when Dick went after the people who had killed him. He had known before, back when he had still been human, that they were murderers, but this was now so much more personal.  
He wasn’t sure that justice could be done by just locking them all up. 

“Do you sometimes think about going after the Joker again?” Dick asked, looking at Jason. 

Tim had scored a private plane from somewhere with a pilot who would never say a single word about who had hired him. Mostly because he wouldn’t be able to remember the young man who had done it. 

“Pretty much once a week,” Jason answered. 

“What is holding you back?” 

“Bruce, I guess…I don’t know. I should have done it back when I came back from the dead, but instead I – played games, screwed it up.” He looked Dick straight in the eyes. “Revenge isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Kill them all and be done with it. That is what I have learned Dick. Let them know why they have to die, but don’t make them suffer, don’t give them more time of your life. Kill them. Rid the world of those monsters and go back to your life.”

He leaned back into the comfortable leather seat and stared at the ceiling of the plane. 

“Tim?” Dick asked. 

“I – I think Jason has a point Dick,” Tim said. 

Dick nodded. It sounded like sound advice. He wasn’t one for torturing people. Even now that he was drinking blood and scaring the living shit out of criminals. He – like Tim – made them forget that they had been fed from. 

“Thank you,” Jason replied. 

Tim leaned over and kissed Jason’s cheek gently. “You are wise beyond your years.”

“Aren’t we all, we that conquer death? We that were boy soldiers?” Jason asked. He sounded weary, Dick thought. Even if he tried to make light of it. 

“Jason-”

“Don’t mind me,” Jason said, closing his eyes. “Sometimes I feel a million years old and like there is nothing left of me but armor and bones.” 

“And you aren’t even immortal,” Dick replied. 

Jason laughed. “Yeah, I’m not.” 

Dick exchanged a look with Tim. There was something weary and unsaid under all the banter. It wasn’t an issue yet, Jason’s mortality, but it would become one in ten years or so. Dick was suddenly very aware of it. 

Had Tim been too? When he and Jason had lived together all those months? Had Jason come home to him bruised and bloody and had Tim thought about turning him before he died (again) on the job?  
Was that one of the reasons Tim had left Jason? 

There was still so much Dick didn’t know about Tim’s past. One day he would sit Tim down and make him explain. Make him tell Dick everything. How he was turned and by whom. What he did after that – except for keeping his parents alive on paper and fighting crime. 

He looked at Jason then. He didn’t know what Jason had been up to either in those lost days between his awakening and him coming after Bruce. He should ask about those days too. 

~+~

They checked into a nice hotel and ordered food for Jason while he and Tim went out to hunt in the city. There was nothing like the hunt and feeding on fresh blood, but Dick still drank a lot of the coffee and blood bag mix because it was convenient. 

Dick felt good, strong, fast, like he could take on anything and he was aware enough to know that it was partly because he knew that whatever he decided Tim and Jason would have his back. They would make the bodies disappear and never talk about it again to anyone, including Dick and each other, if that was what Dick wanted. 

The fresh blood in his system and in the air made him giddy. He grabbed Tim by the neck and kissed him hard.

“What was that for?” Tim asked, amused as they came up for air. 

“I’m happy to be alive. I’m happy you and Jay are with me.”

Tim leaned in and kissed him, slipped his tongue into Dick’s mouth and stroked Dick’s gently. Dick pushed Tim against the nearest wall and pressed their hips together. Tim bit his lip, his fangs catching and blood dripping into Dick’s mouth. 

The taste was electric. He surged forward sucking on the wound before it could close. Tim moaned and grabbed Dick’s hips to push them even closer. 

He titled his head so his neck was exposed. They weren’t in uniform because this wasn’t their city to protect. “Come on, Dick. Bite me.” 

Dick did, could feel Tim shudder and come between them as his fangs sank into Tim’s vein. While he sucked, Tim sneaked one hand into his pants and stroked him hard and fast. Dick had to tear his mouth from Tim’s neck as he came. They were panting into each other’s mouths as Tim stroked him through his orgasm. 

“Look at you,” Tim said, leaning in and licking his own blood from Dick’s lips. “What a beautiful mess you are.”

“Right back at you,” Dick said, kissing Tim. 

He savored Tim’s closeness for a few more moments just holding him and kissing him gently, before they made themselves presentable again and went back to the hotel. 

~+~

They stalked the men for another few days just to be sure the timing would fit. They would have to take them all out in one night. 

“We just need to keep one alive for a bit,” Jason said. 

Dick nodded. He wanted the fourth man too. The one who had just stood by while Dick had been tortured for days and killed. The one who had been holding the camera.  
Jason kissed him hard and then pushed him at Tim, so Tim could kiss him too. 

“Let’s go,” Dick said. 

~+~

Dick killed the first one quickly. Just took off his mask, bared his teeth and then ripped the man’s throat out like a savage animal. He spit the blood out, because he didn’t want any part of this man in his system. 

“What a mess,” Jason said. But Dick thought he sounded like he approved. “We’ll have to burn this hell hole.” 

“One down,” Tim replied, already preparing the explosives. It was a house outside the city and the man lived alone. They wouldn’t endanger anyone else. 

“Three to go,” Jason said, grabbing Dick’s face and wiping his mouth gently. 

“Thanks,” Dick said. 

“Come on, guys,” Tim threw in with a meaningful look at the explosives.  
They made for the car. 

The second man was living outside the city too. So it was pretty much more of the same, except that Dick looked gruesome now. With blood all over his clothes. 

“The most beautiful reaper I’ve ever seen,” Jason said. 

Dick wondered for a split second if Jason had really seen a reaper – because Dick hadn’t when he died. He didn’t ask. 

They stole into the penthouse apartment of the third guy silently, like ghosts.  
Dick ripped the guy from his bed and threw him on the floor. Kept him there with a foot to his neck. 

The man’s eyes were wide. “You.” He breathed the word. He remembered Dick then. 

“I’m glad you remember me. I remember you too,” Dick said, looking down at him. “Here is how this goes. I will kill you. Like I killed the other two men who tortured me. Before I do that, I want the name of the man behind the camera.” Dick said. 

“Why should I tell you anything?!” The man spat. 

“See, I can kill you fast or I can kill you slowly,” Dick replied. “And I will enjoy it.”

It wasn’t true, but this guy didn’t need to know that Dick didn’t enjoy torturing people. 

“You don’t do that. You’re a hero.”

Dick smiled and showed his fangs. “I’m something else now.”

The man pissed himself and then he told Dick everything he needed to know to find the fourth man and the film.  
Dick made him jump out of the window. 

“Should have made him write, ‘I am a scumbag who tortures people’, on his own forehead,” Jason said as they were looking down at the body lying on the street. He was dead on impact, Dick could smell the blood on the wind. 

“A bit long, didn’t think it would fit,” Dick replied. 

Jason huffed out a laugh. “Don’t even. I know you didn’t think of it.”

“The next one then,” Tim said. 

“Yeah,” Dick replied and meant it.

~+~

It took Tim only three days to find the man behind the camera. He had never taken off his mask, but Dick trusted Tim.

“You sure?” Jason asked. 

“Yes,” Tim said. “Bank accounts don’t lie.” He showed them the picture. Unassuming man, Dick thought. But then all of them had been. 

“He lives outside of Prague and he will be home next week for a few days,” Tim said. “I know it’s on a short notice and he might already heard about the other three-”

“I want him,” Dick said and even to his own ears he sounded feral. “I want that film.”  
Jason and Tim nodded. 

Tim took over the preparations again. He was efficient like that and Dick wasn’t sure he could have been that well organized. He was feeling the hunt under his skin. 

Tim chose an apartment instead of a hotel this time in the heart of the city. Prague was wonderful. And as they had arrived ahead of time, they had a few days to see the sights. 

Jason stripped out of his clothes and went directly for the bed. Dick and Tim watched him amused. 

He stretched out and started stroking himself. “You guys are going to watch or join?” 

“Watch first,” Tim said. 

“Join later,” Dick replied. 

Jason smirked. 

It was like a vacation. 

~+~

The vacation ended with Bayer’s arrival at his house.  
Tim compelled the bodyguards to sit down and play candy crush on their phones while they slipped inside the building.

He was sitting in his living room. Panzer glass between him and the world. Cameras in every room. Not that it would help him, or anyone else, Dick thought. Tim was taking over the system while Dick was stepping behind the man without any hurry. 

Bayer saw Dick’s reflection in the screen and turned around. “You.” 

“Hello, again,” Dick said. 

“You killed the others,” he replied. He sounded surprised. 

“Yes, and now I will kill you, but before I do that, I want you to give me the film,” Dick said. 

Bayer didn’t pretend he didn’t know what Dick was talking about. He gestured to the wall. “Safe,” he said. “I can-”

“Don’t bother,” Tim cut in and ripped the thing open. There was more than one tape there. 

Bayer swallowed. “You sold for quite a sum,” he said anyway, as Tim was sorting through the films. 

“I want the name of the buyer,” Dick said. 

“Confidential,” Bayer replied, grinning. 

Dick knew then that he would never get the name out of this man. He killed him by breaking his neck. 

“Dick,” Jason said. 

“He wasn’t going to tell me anything. Maybe his computer?”

“I’m on it. I’ll take everything with us,” Tim said, handing Dick the small case with the USB stick. There was no name on it, only a date and a sum. Yes, his torture and death sold for quite a sum. 

“We’ll find him,” Jason said. “We will bring this whole thing down.”

Dick nodded, and crushed the case in his hands until it was nothing more than plastic dust between his fingers. “We should help Tim,” Dick replied after a while. 

“Yes,” Jason said and pulled him against his solid chest. “In a moment.”

~+~

They left Prague the next morning. 

Dick was glad to be home again. Cramped, smelly apartment in one of the worst cities in the world. 

“Are you alright?” Tim asked. 

“Yes,” Dick said. He was too. The people who killed him got what they deserved. He didn’t feel bad about it. Now he only wanted to find whoever had bought that tape.

“I know what you’re thinking and I promise you we will find that guy,” Jason said. 

“I know,” Dick replied. He sank down on the couch and closed his eyes. “I know.” Dick had all the time in the world to do it too. 

“In the meantime, I was thinking, maybe you guys could move in with me,” Tim said and Dick’s eyes snapped open to look at him. There was a soft pink blush on Tim’s cheeks. Dick wanted to lick him. 

“You want me to leave Blüdhaven?” Dick asked. 

“I-”

“It’s only fair, if you’re the one, for a change, who has to split his time between cities, Dick,” Jason cut in. 

It was, Dick knew it. But this was his home – that he had been ready to leave, because they needed something bigger. 

“Yes,” Dick said. “It would be only fair.”

“Is that a yes to the move?” Tim asked. 

“Yes, Tim,” Dick answered, “Yes, it is.”  
Home was now wherever Tim and Jason were.


End file.
